With Palms Open: A Holy Week Devotional

I’m very excited to share a project that I have poured into this past week. As a movement and visual artist, I have always hoped to help people introduce a bit of movement into their worship experience. This devotional explores different postures of worship – suggestions for how we can approach our quiet time from the invitation of Palm Sunday to the celebration of Easter Sunday. More links and information below.

As we approach this year’s Holy Week, the world is in a very different place than any of us might have imagined it would be. Around the world, due to the pandemic, we are confined to our homes; and perhaps beginning to struggle to make sense between the days and the weeks, between the new normal and the old reality, between the news cycle and the hopes in our hearts. We may have even forgotten that Easter is just around the corner.

This eight-day devotional has been designed to help us carve out the time to honor and remember Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, especially as we face all the realities of the present. Many of us may need a stronger nudge to approach the Holy Throne with grace and honesty.

I have always loved celebrating Easter and observing the church’s traditions leading up to the resurrection celebration. I love waving palms on Palm Sunday and sitting down for a simple meal and a foot-washing ceremony on Maundy Thursday. I would soak in the darkness of the Good Friday service and the color of the Easter sunrise. I love how all these traditions prepare my heart for remembering.

This year, all the gatherings will look different, and all the traditions redesigned. But the encouragement is this: despite all that is changing in the world we live in, Jesus remains unchanged and faithful to His Word. His story of redemption stands true and unaltered. And in a time when the world aches for truth and hope, we have a Light that guides our way, and a Light that we can share with others.

Share this:

Like this:

Published by Tanya

The Flight of the Maya Bird
by Nathania Aritao. 2009.
The maya bird won’t
stop flying for you, won’t stop
her flight. Steady, strong.
The maya bird won’t
sing for you, won’t sing just for
you. Listen closely.
When the maya bird
perches, she pauses. But you
can never catch her.
A getaway it
is not. Sweet soaring adventure
it proves to be.
Maya bird, she sky
dances, gliding melody
in whispering wings.
Maya bird, you fly,
never forgetting where home
is. Come home soon.
Maya bird, you dance,
never forget what home is.
Maya, let’s take me home.
View more posts